Some of Micromega's cd players have been notorious for mechanical problems due to some problems with the Phillip's transports contained therein. I have used Micromega dac's for years for exactly the same sonic reasons you mentioned above. I have compared them to other, even more expensive and supposedly more technologically advanced dacs and I while it is easy to find dacs that present more details, it is difficult to find any reasonalby priced ones that sound more musically satisfying. If you can't find a cd player that you like, you may want to consider getting a used Microcmega dac and picking up a new cd player with a digital output to use as a transport. Used Micromega dacs can be had cheaply, and come up here or on ebay occaisionally.
French CD players' sound ?
I've had a Micromega Stage 2 for a couple of years now and really like it sonically. So much so that I turned down an opportunity to replace it with a Theta Miles (unbalanced) because I didn't think the Miles was "better enough" in my system. However, mechanical reliability is getting to be an issue with this 6-year-old player. Does anyone out there have experience with the sonic signatures of other French offerings? Audio Refinement, Audio Meca, YBA.
For those who don't, but can't resist an appeal for a recommendation, I'm not necessarily looking for a neutral player. I like the warm, slightly soft (but clear) sound I get from the Micromega in my system. My room doesn't allow holographic imaging, although I have managed a decent "phantom center". The rest of the chain is Cary (pre), Threshold (power) and Apogee (speakers).
For those who don't, but can't resist an appeal for a recommendation, I'm not necessarily looking for a neutral player. I like the warm, slightly soft (but clear) sound I get from the Micromega in my system. My room doesn't allow holographic imaging, although I have managed a decent "phantom center". The rest of the chain is Cary (pre), Threshold (power) and Apogee (speakers).